The present invention relates to hydraulic fluid handling systems and, in particular, to a portable fluid transfer cart capable of transporting a supply of hydraulic fluid and having vented, quick-disconnect transfer conduits for servicing bulk reservoirs and maintaining fluid integrity.
Numerous equipment problems can develop from contaminants present in hydraulic fluids. The problems can range from faulty equipment operation to potential destruction of costly valves, pumps and other components. Contaminants can consist of dirt particles, metal particles and shavings, sludge, and water, to name some of the typical types of contaminants that are encountered in industrial settings.
Contaminants can enter a hydraulic system and collect in the fluid over time with equipment wear or faulty seals. Contaminants can also be added into a system during periodic refilling and maintenance operations performed on the equipment. The contaminants can be added with the normal coupling and uncoupling of the transfer conduits, that is the placement of contaminated, dirt laden transfer tubes into the fluid or the attachment of dirty, threaded couplers to the bungholes of the reservoir. The contaminants can arise from improperly cleaned drum containers from which the liquids are transferred. Harmful dust particles can also be injected into the system at the vented breather mounted to the equipment reservoir.
Depending upon the type of equipment and cost, permanent filter systems can be included at the equipment to daily maintain and monitor the quality of fluids flowing through the hydraulic lines. Additionally or in the alternative, the fluids can be periodically cleaned and serviced by maintenance personnel with the aid of a portable cart that supports a transfer pump, filters and transfer conduits. A typical cart consists of a two-wheel dolly that is outfitted with a fluid catch pan, a motor driven transfer pump, one or more replaceable filters, filter manifolds and interconnecting piping. Flexible hoses, threaded couplers and tubular wands appropriately extend from the cart and mount to threaded bung holes commonly found at the equipment's fluid reservoir. A dolly, forklift or other handler is separately required to transport bulk containers (e.g. 30 to 55 gallon drums) that contain replacement fluid.
The carts can be operated in a closed-loop cycle with the equipment reservoir to filter the equipment fluid either when the equipment is shutdown or as it is being circulated through the equipment. The cart can separately circulate and clean fluids received in the bulk shipping containers, prior to adding the fluids to equipment undergoing maintenance. The cart can also be used to transfer dirty fluids from the equipment reservoir to a waste container.
As noted and instead of reducing contaminants, contaminants can be added each time the couplers, wands and hoses of the maintenance cart, which are exposed to the relatively dirty surrounding environment between use, are mounted to the equipment. The relatively large mesh size (i.e. 30 to 100 mesh) breathers used at typical equipment reservoirs can also inject dust into the fluids.
The fluid handler system of the present invention was developed to overcome the shortcomings of conventional fluid handlers. The handler provides a four-wheel cart that is capable of transporting drums of replacement fluid. The cart also supports a transfer pump and replaceable filter cartridges that simultaneously remove suspended particles and liquid contaminants. Quick-disconnect couplers and compatible vented and unvented container adapters prevent the introduction of contaminants during equipment servicing. The improved vented breather separately supports a replaceable filter cartridge that is capable of filtering micron size contaminants.